Training
by Machamom
Summary: Short story to Timber's Benefit, show his potential
1. Chapter 1

**Training**

This is something that came to my head one day. I don't really have a name for it but I would love someone to help me name it. I'll give you the credit on the name. Please help!

* * *

"Okay, everyone, out!" Hawk said as the Howler landed and the doors opened.

Scarlett, Ripcord, and Duke stepped out first and surveyed the scene before them.

The small lodge that stood silent was laden with snow as were the trees around it.

"Couldn't we have an exersise in like say Palm Beach or...?" Ripcord started as he shivered in his parka.

"Can it, Rip." Said Heavy Duty as he stepped off, followed by Breaker.

Both yelped as a furry form flew past them and landed in the snow. Timber shoved his nose almost to his eyes, his tail waging furiously. Almost everyone laughed as he bounced a few times, biting the snow then running until he sank into a drift.

"At least someone is having fun." Said Scarlett as Timber fought his way out of the drift and ran back to them.

Timber waited as Snake Eyes stepped off and pawed the pack in the ninja's hands. Snake Eyes pulled out a tennis ball and threw it toward the lodge; Timber in hot pursuit.

"Okay, let's get inside and stow our gear." Hawk said. "I want to brief you on the exercise."

All followed their commander as she led the way to the lodge. They filled past a half buried Timber as he dug into a drift, looking for his tennis ball. Finding his prize, Timber backed out and spun around, looking for his master. Spotting the group, he bound, like a puppy, after them. Reaching Snake Eyes, Timber shoved his muzzle into the ninja's hand and tried to hand off the ball.

Snake Eyes grabbed the ball and tossed it behind him. He didn't stop as Ripcord cried out.

"Hey?" Ripcord caught the ball and then ended up flat on his back as Timber hit him, to take the ball. "Why you…" Ripcord sat up, grabbed snow, packed it, and threw it at Snake Eyes.

Snake Eyes turned a little, side stepped and kept walking as the snow ball hit Duke.

Dropping his bag, Duke whirled around. "Who…?" And stared at the still sitting Ripcord.

"Sorry! I wanted to hit…" His eyes widened as he struggled to his feet, but a snowball scored on his shoulder anyway.

Duke was already packing another one as Ripcord hit him in the chest.

"I wasn't ready!" Ripcord cried as he started packing snow and let fly.

Duke ducked and the snowball hit Heavy Duty on the back of the head. Both men held their breath as the large gunner turned. But with a murderous grin, Heavy Duty reached down and grabbed snow.

Hawk had reached the door of the lodge and turned back to watch as Scarlett joined in the fight.

"Never fails." He mumbled. He then noticed Breaker standing next to him and saw the smaller man shrug.

"Have to keep my equipment dry." Breaker grinned and started tapping on his hand-held computer."

Hawk grinned as Timber bounced around trying to catch the snowballs being thrown; succeeding a few times. After he thought they had had enough fun, he called again.

"Fun's over! Inside!"

Four snow covered, grinning humans walked past their commander and one not snow covered, but still grinning under his mask. Tennis ball in mouth, Timber shook the snow off his fur and followed the humans in. He stopped and everyone jumped as a loud "bwamph" sounded. Timber dropped the, now in two pieces, tennis ball and walked off.

Hawk mumbled as Snake Eyes picked up the pieces and shoved them into the bag. "Animal is going to break us with these re-enforced tennis balls."

* * *

I thought of this story to show Timber's ability to learn and be part of the team. Hope you like it.


	2. Chapter 2

Training chapter 2

I have always had dogs growing up. I know how smart some can be. And I know there are some that are very, very smart.

* * *

Timber sat beside Snake Eyes as Hawk spoke.

"The chopper will set each of the teams in specific spots about thirty miles from here. You will only have the compasses and maps to get back. This exercise is to see how you work together in this environment. If you don't get back before night fall, activate you beacons and we'll come get you. Do you have all that?"

"Who gets to team up with who?" Ripcord asked as he smiled at Scarlett.

"With whom." Hawk corrected. "The two member teams will be: Snake Eyes and Duke; Scarlett and Breaker;" He couldn't help smile as Ripcord's face fell. "You and Heavy Duty."

Ripcord frowned then piped up. "Wait a minute. Timber is going, too, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, if Timber is a member of that team, which makes it a three member team, not a two member. That's not very fair."

"Rip." Duke warned.

Hawk glared at Ripcord for a moment, and then smiled. "Fine. Snake Eyes and Timber; Scarlett and Heavy Duty; you and Duke. Breaker will have to sit this one out. How's that?" He stared hard at the pilot. His look told Ripcord to try and say something else.

"No, sir. That will be all." A disappointed Ripcord said.

They were all soon relaxing in the sitting room after the briefing. Ripcord still looked sullen as Scarlett was tossing bits of jerky to Timber.

"Hey, Snakes, how is Timber going to take orders with Cat not here?" Ripcord suddenly quipped. "I mean it's not like he can read your mind or something."

Snake Eyes turned to the pilot as Hawk spoke. "What are you getting at, Ripcord?"

"Well, we all know Timber responds to basic signs, but every time he's been on an assignment, Cat's in the background, telling him what to do. Too bad, she's with her family on leave." With a smirk, he stood up. "I'll let you guys solve that problem. I'm headed for bed." He turned and started walking away.

Hawk saw Snake Eyes snap his fingers to get Timber's attention. When Timber looked at him, Snake Eyes made a sign and pointed to Ripcord.

Timber moved quickly as he rushed at the pilot, hit the back of Ripcord's legs with his body, and then stood, with both paws on the man's chest, as he lay on the floor.

The laughter rang as Ripcord squeaked a "help" as Timber bared large teeth a few inches from his face.

"You were saying, Rip?" Duke gasped out before laughing again.

"Nice, doggy." Ripcord whispered. He lay still as he heard Snake Eyes snap his fingers twice and Timber leaped off him to run back to his master. "I don't like that dog." He whispered as he made his way to his room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Training Chapter 3**

Snake Eyes unfolded the map and looked it over. He huffed a little as the wind tried to take it from him, so he knelt down and put the map on the snow-covered ground. He made a sign to Timber and the animal sat down next to him, as Snake Eyes took the compass out.

Timber watched every move the silent man made. His attitude was different from the day before; more serious. With his black harness that fit snuggly on him, Timber knew that he was to work, not play. He turned to sniff the air, then watched Snake Eyes stand up and start walking. True to his training, Timber stayed by the man's side.

Snake Eyes had trained a compass in the past. He knew that sometimes a GPS was not always available; even his visor's GPS had been turned off. Hawk had been true to his word that they would only have the maps and compass.

Snake Eyes walked with a steady pace in the direction he had chosen. He was confident that he would reach the lodge before night fall, barring any mishaps. He felt Timber stay by his side and reached over to pet him. They walked for quite a ways, before Timber stopped and started whining.

Snake Eyes stopped and scanned the area. Seeing nothing, he motioned for Timber forward, but Timber hung back. So Snake Eyes looked at the incline that sloped gently into the trees in front of him. He carefully took a step and started slipping before he could jump back.

Timber leaped forward and grabbed Snake Eyes' belt and held on. As soon as he felt the man stop falling, Timber pulled backward; pulling Snake Eyes with him. Three steps from the drift, Timber let go. He felt Snake Eyes' arms go around him and give him a hug. He wagged his tail and whined with contentment as Snake Eyes patted his shoulder.

Snake Eyes crawled over to the hole in the drift and, taking out his sword, pushed it down into the snow. It didn't stop when the snow came up to his shoulder. Getting to his feet, Snake Eyes wiped his sword dry and sheathed it. He took the map out again as Timber waited patiently by his side.

"How are you doing, Heavy?" Scarlett called out behind her.

Trudging along, Heavy Duty took a few more steps before answering his team-mate. "Okay so far, Scarlett." He stopped and took a deep breath. "How far have we come?"

"Oh, about five miles." She said and grinned as a muttering came from the large man.

"I could have sworn we've covered more."

"Don't worry, Heavy, we still have all day to get back."

"Yeah, but when? We have to make it before the others."

Hands on hips, Scarlett faced her teammate. "It is not my fault that you made the bet with Ripcord. I was only looking forward to a nice training exercise and having three days to spend at the lodge, but, no, you guys have to bet on who will make it back first and the stragglers get sent back to the Pit." She turned away, muttering something about male hormones. "If I wasn't partnered with you…" She let the matter drop as she walked on.

Heavy plodded along behind. He knew that she still angry when she stopped and nearly tore the map unfolding it.

"You know, Scarlett. If we get there second, we still get to stay."

Scarlett scoffed. "If Hawk hadn't agreed to the bet, I would be happy. I just wanted a little alone time. I love this place." Calming down a bit, she carefully scanned the map and compass. "If I'm right, we should come to a bend in the trail that takes us straight to the lodge."

"Hopefully we don't hit too many of those deep drifts again."

Scarlett finally chuckled as she remembered the snow drift that she had fallen into. She had sunk in to her waist. Now she carried a tree branch to test their footing. Not for the first time, she wondered how her other team members were doing.


	4. Chapter 4

**Training Chapter 4**

I haven't forgotten the other members of Team Alpha. Here they are.

* * *

"Come on, Rip, pull!" Duke said as he struggled through the drift. It was hard going, with the snow almost shoulder high.

Ripcord grunted as he pulled harder on the rope that stretched between his best friend and himself. "If you would try walking a little more carefully, you wouldn't be freezing you're…"

"Just be quiet and pull!" Duke yelled. He could see he was finally making headway toward solid ground. "Almost there!" He soon lay panting beside Ripcord, who gave him a hard look.

"Next time I say we should go in another direction, will you listen to me?"

Duke nodded.

Ripcord shivered in his parka as he stood up. "Some training mission." He commented as he looked the map over while he turned the compass. He looked up. "We need to go that way. The map shows a trail that meets up with another. That one should lead to the lodge."

Duke got to his feet and helped his friend up. "If we make it in time. You know that Scarlett and the others have the advantage? They've been here three times before and kind of know the terrain. Besides, Hawk said that Snake Eyes always gets to the lodge first." He frowned as he saw Ripcord smile. "I know that smile. What did you do?"

Ripcord shrugged as he kept walking. "Oh, nothing much… except bribe the pilot to leave Snake about fifteen miles further out." He heard Duke gasp and faced him. "What?"

"Rip, do you have a death wish?" Duke asked. He had stopped walking and stood in front of his friend. "You have been this close to Snake beating you up lately." He held up his forefinger and thumb with an inch of space between them. "I know you're jealous of the little bit of time Scarlett has been spending time with him and Timber…"

"Little bit?!" Ripcord exclaimed. "Little bit? She spends at least eighty percent of the time with them. Ever since Cat and Timber joined the team, Scarlett hardly spends any time with me! When she's at the Pit, she spends more time with Cat helping train that animal and, of course, Snake Eyes is right there."

"Of course Snake is there. Cat's his new apprentice, remember?" Duke stared at Ripcord before taking a deep breath and started walking again. "We can talk about this later, we need to get going." After walking for a minute, he mumbled. "Let's hope Snake Eyes doesn't find out about this little escapade."

Ripcord mumbles as he followed Duke. "She's my girl; she's supposed to spend time with me, isn't she?"

Snake Eyes fumed as he stared at the rock outcropping in front of him. This was the first time he had been on a training exercise in winter, so he had been relying on the map, but now, the rock in front of him told him that he was further than he was suppose to be. He gritted his teeth as he turned in one direction and started walking at a brisk pace. He knew exactly where he was now and didn't need the map and compass anymore, but knew that he was far behind the others.

Timber stayed close to the man he considered 'master'. He didn't know why the man was angry, but he kept up with man as Snake Eyes covered ground rapidly.

Snake Eyes slowed when he came to an area he recognized and turned to the left. He was about to take another step when Timber jumped to one side and started digging in the snow. Upset at the delay, Snake Eyes brought his hand up to snap, when he saw Timber trying to pull a rounded piece of something out. Curiosity peaked; he walked over to the animal and helped pull. It was someone's abandoned snowboard. Snake Eyes looked it over and was ready to toss it aside, but stopped and smiled.

"Hey, Rip, you have any more hot coffee? I'm out." Duke asked. He was sitting on a log trying to catch his breath. He put his canteen in his pack.

Ripcord sat next to him, also trying to catch his breath. He nodded as he reached into the pack in his arms. "Yeah, there still a few sips left." He handed the thermos to Duke. "We've only got a few more miles to go. I think we may be the first ones there."

"I don't doubt it." Duke said. "We've been doing double time for the past few hours." He poured the coffee and, as he was bringing the cup to his mouth, he stopped. Duke looked around. "Do you hear something?"

Ripcord brought his head up and listened. "Yeah, what is it?" He said as they both looked behind them at a sharp bend.

At that moment, Timber came running around the corner and he was pulling Snake Eyes on the snowboard. He spotted the two men and came to a stop in front of them.

Snake Eyes turned and skidded to a stop; spraying the two men with snow as he did. He smiled as he looked at the two men and saluted before motioning to Timber to head out. He waved as Timber pulled him away.

Mouth open, Ripcord sat still as Duke looked down at the snow melting in his coffee.

"Well so much for us getting there first." He said as he continued to watch the snow in his cup. "I didn't know Timber could do that, did you?"

Ripcord just sat with his mouth still open.


	5. Chapter 5

**Training **

**Chapter 5  
**I couldn't think of too much for this chapter. Forgive me if it doesn't make sense. I couldn't update the stories until now because my computer died and I'm having to type on the run. Hope you like. Oh, and this is the last chapter.

Duke and Ripcord trudged through the mud room of the lodge and surveyed the scene in front of them.

Arms crossed over his chest, Snake Eyes was lounging on the couch as Timber relaxed near his feet. It looked like both were asleep. Carrying his coffee, Hawk came in from the kitchen.

"Well, nice timing." He sat down and faced them. "You two are the second group to arrive; right after our champ, here." At his words, Snake Eyes lifted his head and then lowered it again. "There's dinner and coffee ready, if you need it." He started to get up when Scarlett and Heavy Duty walked in. "Welcome back, team. You made pretty good time for the weather."

Scarlett glared at the men for a second, and then her face became calm as she approached Hawk.

"Thank you, Sir." She took off her backpack. "But I see we were the last ones here. I'll get my things." She walked off without looking either way. She didn't see the miserable look on Ripcord's face.

Heavy Duty just grumbled as he went by, saying something about never making another bet when he was on R&R.

"Sir, can I go speak with her?" Ripcord asked.

Hawk nodded, his gaze followed the female member of his best team and, from the couch, another silently watched.

"I don't know if she wants to talk." Duke said as he followed his friend toward the stairs.

"I know, but it's my fault that she's packing. You were right, if I hadn't been jealous of Snake and that…lobo, we'd all be having a good time the rest of the week." Ripcord turned to Duke. "You were right, buddy, and I was just too stubborn to see it."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to pack and give up my share of the win; least I could do." He headed for the room and disappeared inside.

Duke stood, staring at the doorway and sighed, before turning toward his room and coming face to face with Snake Eyes. He yelped and jumped back. "Man! I wish you'd wear a bell or make some kind of noise."

Snake Eyes looked at him and then his head moved to look in Ripcord's direction before he pulled out a paper and pencil.

[He really likes her, doesn't he?] He handed the note to Duke.

Duke looked up from the note. "Yeah, he's change a lot since we joined the team. His focus is on Scarlett…" Duke shook his head. "I've never seen him acted this way before; not the way he's been doing when he's around her." Duke waved his hand. "Oh, he's been with other women and played the jealous boyfriend, but not like this."

Snake Eyes listened as Duke went on and wrote another note.

[Is he really going to pack and give his win to Scarlett?]

"Knowing him? Yeah." Duke nodded.

Snake Eyes thought a moment and nodded. He turned and headed back to the living room.

Duke watched him go and headed for his room to pack as well; he couldn't let his best friend go alone.

When she heard a knock, Scarlett jumped from the bed and tried to finish packing. She didn't answer the door because she didn't want to talk to anyone right now. She shook her head; she shouldn't have sat there, moping.

Again, another knock sounded, she sighed. "Come in." She said aloud and scowled as Ripcord stuck his head in.

"Can we talk?" He asked softly.

Scarlett tried to deny him entry but as she looked at his face, her own softened. She nodded as she grabbed some clothes from the dresser.

Ripcord came in and sat in a chair. He looked her bag over before turning to Scarlett. "I came in to say to stop packing. I'm going back to the pit." When he saw her questioning look, he continued. "Well, I remember how you talked about this place, how you feel…"

Scarlett held out her hand. "You won, fair and square. You should enjoy the rest of the stay here." Scarlett put the clothes into the case and turned to him. When she saw the look on his face, she put her hands on her hips. "What?"

"Uh, as for the 'fair and square' part; I need to tell you something. I was hoping you would have been the second team in."

Eyes narrowing, Scarlet tilted her head in question. When Ripcord filled her in on his plan and how it back fired, she stood thinking before suddenly laughing.

"Hey, I thought it would work, but I didn't know Timber could do that?" Ripcord said embarrassed.

"Rip, didn't you listen when Cat was talking to Snake…? Uh, never mind. I forgot you still haven't gotten the hang of ASL." She sat on the bed and faced him. "Where Cat was raising and training Timber, it would snow; sometimes even a blizzard would pop up. She knew he would love it here when Snake mentioned where we were going." She nearly laughed again as comprehension came to Ripcord's face. "That's why Snake wanted to bring him. He knew that training would help somehow, I really don't think that is the way it was supposed to turn out, but Timber, again, has proved his mettle."

Head down, Ripcord nodded and then leaned close to her. "I'm sorry. Can I be forgiven?"

Scarlett smiled as she gave him a quick kiss-on the cheek. "Yes, now please leave so I can finish packing."

"But I…?" Ripcord started, but stopped as she shook her head.

"You may have cheated a little, but I am going to stick to the bet. I have a reputation to keep."

Ripcord sighed and got up to go to the door. Reaching out, he grabbed his bag and shouldered it. "Then I'm going with you. No sense that you and Heavy are the only ones suffering."

Scarlett shook her head as she finished packing and grabbed up her bag. "You are crazy and living on borrowed time, once Snake finds out what you did."

Ripcord gave her an anxious look. "You aren't going to say anything, are you?"

She shook her head again. "No, I won't. I'll let you confess to the crime." She hooked her arm into his. "If anything, I think I can protect you...maybe."

"You think?" Ripcord sighed. "I think I'm going to need a lawyer… and maybe a doctor"

Scarlett laughed as they walked into the living room. They both stopped as they heard the 'Howler' take off.

"Sir, what's going on?" Scarlett asked Hawk, who sat talking to Breaker.

He looked up at them. "The 'Howler' just took Snake Eyes, Heavy Duty, and Timber back to the Pit. He said for you two to have a good time." He brought a book and handed it to Scarlett. "He said you wanted to read this one." He grinned as Scarlett looked over the title and smiled.

"He remembered. I thought he had forgotten." She turned to go back to her room. "I just wish he had let me say good-bye."

"And, Ripcord?" Hawk looked up again at the pilot. "Snake Eyes said he would see you at the Pit when you get back."

Ripcord's face took on an alarmed look.


End file.
